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Article: A matter of mosque & state: a number of universities have installed footbaths for use by Muslim students. Is this a legitimate accommodation of a religious practice, or unconstitutional support for a particular religion?(NATIONAL)
- Article from:
- New York Times Upfront
- Article date:
- October 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Scholastic, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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When pools of water began collecting on the floor in some restrooms at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, the problem was easy to pinpoint. More than 10 percent of the schools" 8,500 students are Muslim, and as part of the ritual cleansing required before their five-times-a-day prayers, some were washing their feet in the sinks.
The solution seemed straightforward. After talking with a Muslim student group, the university announced it would install $25,000 foot-washing stations in several restrooms.
But as a legal and political matter, that solution has not been so simple. When word of the plan got out this spring, it ...